Hundreds of people paid a “Visit to Ivan”

On June 15-16 people in Bukovyna paid their tribute to the actor, director, and screenwriter Ivan Mykolaichuk, who would have celebrated his 72nd birthday on June 15. It is symbolic that the Ukrainian Festival “Ivanova Pereberia” was held in Vyzhnytsia, because in Vyzhnytsia movie theater Mykolaichuk presented his films in the 1960s-1970s. “Ivan Mykolaichuk was a talented son of Bukovyna,” said Valentyna Kovalska. “And this is the place where every year we have a film festival organized in the memory of the famous actor and film director.” By the way, on June 14 within the framework of “Ivanova Pereberia” a photo exhibition “Films and Friends,” dedicated to the jubilee of Mykolaichuk’s friend and colleague, People’s Artist of Ukraine, laureate of Oleksandr Dovzhenko State Award Boryslav Brondukov, opened at Chernivtsi Oblast Art Museum. Brondukov would have celebrated his 75th anniversary this year. The exhibition features 31 photographs from the archives of Oleksandr Dovzhenko Film Studio, collection of Yurii Harmash, family archive of the Brodukovs family.

Organizer of the exhibition, cameraman, Honored Artist of Ukraine Yurii Harmash, spoke at the opening of the exhibition: “I am indebted to these people. Although, unfortunately, they are no longer with us, but with this exhibition I pay my tribute and honor to them. I am thankful for all they gave me in my life. There are several photographs made by me and the others were simply collected.” (Photo exhibition “Films and Friends” is open at Chernivtsi Art Museum for two weeks.) The next day in Chernivtsi people brought flowers to the memorial plaque at the corner of Independence Avenue and the street named after Mykolaichuk. And the Mykolaichuk Museum Estate in the village of Chortoryia, Kitsman raion welcomed guests – friends, colleagues, acquaintances, and admirers of his talent. Here in the home village of the artist an ethnofestival “Visit to Ivan” is held for the third year in a row. Hundreds of people visited the home of Mykolaichuk’s parents. Bukovyna residents came dressed up in embroidered shirts and national costumes. Mykolaichuk’s wife People’s Artist of Ukraine Maria Mykolaichuk came to the festival. She said: “I would like to see another generation of talented people raised in Bukovyna, creative people, who would praise their land with their talent the way Ivan did.”